Marijuana Legalization Creates Jobs??

I hope you’re sitting down as you read this, because this is MAJOR and SHOCKING news!

Marijuana legalization creates jobs.

Yes, you read that right. Legalizing marijuana creates jobs. It turns out that people like to buy marijuana, and they like to buy it from stores. Those stores need people to sell the marijuana to those who want to buy it. So businesses open up and hire people and sell marijuana. It’s crazy, AM I RIGHT?

Okay, enough sarcasm. A new report out of Oregon shows that the state’s legalized retail marijuana industry has created at least 2,165 new jobs in the short time it has existed. This year about $46 million in payroll will be paid out to these employees. That’s $46 million in new wealth created by a new industry that hasn’t even come close to finding its bearing yet as the state transitions from recreational marijuana sold in medical marijuana dispensaries to retail shops that sell recreational marijuana exclusively.

That means that this is just the beginning as far as job growth goes. More retail shops will open to serve more customers, and those shops will need more employees. And this will continue until a place is reached where supply is meeting demand and the market will hold no more employees and still allow businesses to make a profit.

If only someone had seen this coming! Sorry, I said I was done with the sarcasm.

Of course legalization advocates have been pointing out for years that a legal marijuana industry can’t help but create jobs. Someone has to replace the dealers and growers who currently operate in the black market. If the legal cannabis industry is to survive it has to hire people to help it run.